Damper



Dec. 16, 1952 E. H. PERSON ETAL DAMPER 2 SHEETS-SHEET l Filed Aug. 25, 1949 me/wma ERNEST H PERSON RICHARD D TUTT Dec. 16, 1952 E, H. PERSON ETAL DAMPER Filed Aug. 25, 1949 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 ERNEST HPERSON RICHARD D TUT? Patented Dec. 16, 1952 DAMPER Ernest H. Person and Richard D. Tutt, New Britain, Conn., assignors to Tuttle & Bailey, Incorporated, New Britain, Conn., a corporation of Connecticut Application August 25, 1949, Serial No. 112,198

(Cl. .9S-40) 6 Claims. 1

This invention relates to improvements in air distribution apparatus and, more particularly, to apparatus arranged to control the flow of air between a source of supply and a diffuser which distributes air into a room for heating, cooling, or air conditioning the room in any desired manner.

One well known difficulty encountered in admitting air to a room from a source of supply lies in directing a uniform, evenly distributed iiow of air to a diffuser through which air may be admitted into a room without creating eddy currents and drafts in various lower parts of the rooin when, for example, the diffuser is positioned in the ceiling of the room. Said difculty occurs especially in ducts of relatively short length between the source of supply and a diffuser.

It is an object of the present invention to overcome such difficulties by providing an air distribution means for use in a duct between a source of supply and a iixed air diffuser at the exit end of said duct, whereby the diffuser is facilitated in discharging air into a room in evenly distributed streams which, due to the nature of the diffuser, for example, extend substantially transversely to the axis of the duct, the duct containing damper means which are adjustable to vary the iiow of air through the duct and also insure diffusion of the air across the duct before it exits therefrom through the aforementioned iixed diffuser at the exit end of the duct.

It is another object of the invention to provide, for use in an air distributing duct, damper means comprising pivotally mounted damper vanes which control the volume of air passing through the duct and also, on the exit side of the damper vanes, pivotally mounted deflector vanes which will insure diffusion and distribution across the duct of the air which passes through the damper vanes.

It is a further object of the invention to provide actuating means for the damper and deiiector vanes which is operable to simultaneously adjust the damper and deflector vanes from fully closed position to fully open position, or vice versa, as well as any intermediate positions between these extremes for purposes of varying the volume of air flowing through the duct and also diffusing and evenly distributing it across said duct.

Details of these objects and of the invention, as well as other objects thereof, are set forth in the following specication and illustrated in the drawings forming a part thereof.

2 In the drawings- Figure 1 is a sectional view of an air distribution system embodying the present invention and showing a branch duct which connects a supply duct and a fixed air diffuser.

Fig. 2 is a top plan View of a damper assembly comprising part of the present invention, the vanes shown herein being illustrated in fully closed position.

Fig. 3 is a bottom plan view in larger scale of the damper assembly sho-wn in Fig. 2 but illustrating the damper vanes in fully open position.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3.

Referring to the drawings, there is illustrated in Fig. 1 an air distribution system' mounted, for example, in the ceiling of a room. It is to be understood, however, that this illustration is not to be considered restrictive since it is conceivable that the present invention could be applied to air ducts entering the walls of rooms. In Fig. l, the ceiling lil is shown in vertical section. A horizontal supply duct I2 extends along the upper surface of said ceiling wall. The ceiling has an aperture I4 through which a branch duct I6 extends and communicates at one end with an aperture I8 in one wall of the supply duct I2.

Connected to the exit end of the branch duct I6 adjacent the lower surface of the ceiling wall I@ is a fixed air diuser 2D comprising a plurality of concentric annular deflecting members 22 which are connected to each other and to a base ring 24 by any suitable means, not shown, such as a plurality of radially extending bars or rods. The assembled deiiecting members 22 and base rings 24 are so shaped that they deflect air exiting from the branch duct I6 from a path axial of said branch duct into paths extending radially from the axis of said branch duct. The specific nature of the details of the fixed air diffuser 2li is evident from Fig. 1.

As is Well understood, air flowing through the supply duct I2 in the direction of the arrows shown in Fig. 1 -will expand when it reaches the branch duct I6 and some of the volume of air in the supply duct will then flow downwardly into the branch duct. This is due to the fact that the air flowing through the supply duct I2 has a static pressure.

In order that the amount of air iiowing through the branch duct I6 from the supply duct I2 may be controlled and varied, the present invention contemplates the use of a damper assembly, de-

tails of which are shown in all of the figures. As

suming that the branch duct I6 is cylindrical, the

damper assembly comprises a cylindrical collar 28 which closely conforms to the inner surface of branch duct i8 and is secured thereto intermediate the ends of the branch duct. Extending horizontally across the collar 25 in vertical planes parallel to each other are a plurality of spaced, flat plates .comprising damper braces 28, the ends of which are fixed 'to the inner .surface .of `the collar 23, as shown particularly in Figs. 3 and 4.

Pivotally mounted adjacent the upper end of4 the collar 25 are a plurality of damper vanes 38. Each vane is fixed to a horizontal shaft 32 which extends through suitable alignedfbearing apertures in the damper braces 28;-T Alhof theyshafta` Thevanes138 are ;v

32 Aare parallel to each other; preferably flat and elongated and the ends thereof, as Well as the edges of the vanesfarthestfrom the center of the braces 23, are shaped to conform to a circular outline when the vanes are all disposed in a common plane, as shown in Fig. 2, in which position the damper vanes are inl fully closed f position.V

When vthe -damper vanes Farc-'moved from yfully closed posi-tiontoeither `fully open'or any open position intermediate their extreme positions, it is preferred-that the damper Vanes'on one side of a central longitudinal'plane -in the V.branch duct i8 pivotally move in one direction and those damper vanes on the other side of said plane move in an opposite direction, as is clearly shown inFig. 1.

The damper vanes eachhave attached theref to vone endof an actuating arm34; as shown' in Figs. 3 and s., and the free ends of said arms attached to the damper vanes on one side of the aforementioned central longitudinal plane are interconnected by 'a link 36;, the link being pivotally connected to the free ends of the arms 34 by suitable rivets', as shown in Fig. 4. The damper vanes onrxthe votheriside. of said central longitudinal planealso have the freevends of the actuating@ arms '34 thereof interconnected by asimilar link ametrically opposed bearing apertures '42 shown in Fig. 3, said apertures each pivotally receiving one. end each of the operator arms 44. Said ends of said operator. Varms are-bent-so that they extend verticallythrough the apertures 42 vin disk @and the other endsV of the arms extendhorizontally through bearing apertures 45 in the inner ends-of the links'38 and-38.- The disk48 is supported by a horizontal member or plate 48 xedto the central damper brace 28 by any suitable means, such asldiametrically yopposed parallel ears 58 which arebent'transversely to the `plate 48. To permit attachment-ofvplate Yit thereto, the central brace 28 4is provided witha notch 52', shown in Fig.- 1,

extending upward from the loweredge thereof to receive the plate 48. The ears lfare directlyv Fixed to and..l depending from-said lhub 54 is. anoperator shaft-` 56. The lower end of said shaft preferably extends through tlie central deecting member 22 of fixed diuser 28 and a manually operable knob 58 is secured to the lower end of said shaft, whereby the disk 48 may be rotated from the exterior of the fixed diffuser 2 il for purposes of actuating the vanes: ofthe damper assemblywithin'the :branch duct i6,

In order that any desired adjustment of the damper vanes 38 may be maintained, either in fully opened, fully closed, or any intermediate position between these extremes, friction means are provided.: Saidmeans are carried by the verticallyfextendinggends of operator arms 44 which extend through '.theapertures 42 in disk 48. Said endsl `of "arms- 14ealso extend through suitable arcuate..slotstiormed in ixed plate 48. Attached to said depending end of each arm 44 is a washer which slidably engages the lower surface of plate 48 Iand is resiliently biased into functional engagement therewith. by a Vhelical spring i3d which surrounds the vdepending end 1 of-each:

arm 4.- A nut EY--isthreaded ontosaid` endsof' the arm. 44,` so as to. permit adjustment of the tension. ofv spring (i4.`4

It will thus be seen .-that, as the diskf48 is :ro--

tated in opposite directions by knob 58, the-interopposite sides` ofthe central longitudinal plane' of the-branch duct l'are moved in opposite directions when adjusted-toward either. closedor open positions. However, such -arrangementf will cause uneven concentrations of airin the branch duct and, in order. vthat such. uneven concentrations .will .notfreach the fixed diifuser 28, the pres-fv` ent invention. also contemplateszthe useiof deflectoryanes 68v `which 4are .mounted similarly` tot the damper vanes 38.relative :toxtheecollan2t.l

Said ,vanes are .supported on .shafts 10 which -are parallel to shafts .32.of the damper vanesr38and are disposed in .a plane spaced vbelow andfparallel tothe planein which the shafts 32 ofthe damper vanes are disposed.

They deflector vanes-68 are preferably narrower-` than the dampervanes '32, but thefwidth of .de-

flector vanes 68 is ample to suitably delectthe air passing `*therebetween 5in such away that. it will be evenly distributed within'thelower portion'xo: the branch duct i 6v and thus be evenly distributed tothe fixed deflector 28.

The shafts 18 are lsupported 'in suitable :bearing apertures provided inthe lower'portonsio the damper braces .28 and each deector vane .68 has attached thereto'one end of anactuating arm '12. The free ends of the-arms12iof the deflectorv vanes 68 on one side of said central longitudinal plane -in the ductA l 6 are interconnected "by na link 74;'the link and arms 12 being pivotallyconnected by rivets as shown in Fig. 4. The end ofilink 'I4 nearest the center of the collar 26 is pivotallycomnected by rivet'l to the linkf36 whichfconnects the arms 34 of thedamper vanes Sdisposedion the same side of said central. longitudinal plana* Thus, as the damper; vanesV 38 on one *side 'ofi the aforementioned central longitudinal plane .are

pivotally movedinonedirection by rotation of disk 48,-'thedeflectorI vanes 68-onthe same side of said plane-willfbe pivotally movedzsimultanee operation of the damper and deilector vanes is such that, if the damper vanes 30 are moved, for example, from fully closed to open position, the deector vanes E8 substantially aligned therewith longitudinally of the branch duct will be simultaneously moved from fully closed to open position, but such movement will be in the opposite angular direction to that in which the aligned damper vanes 3i] are moved.

As can be readily seen from Fig. 3, the deflector vanes B8 on the opposite side of the central longitudinal plane of the duct from the deector vanes which are interconnected by link 14 are interconnected by their actuating arms 'l2 being pivotally connected at the outer ends thereof to a link 'I8 by suitable rivets. The end of link 18 nearest the center of the collar 26 is also pivotally connected to link 38 which also interconnects the arms 34 of the damper vanes 30 on the same side of the plane as said deector vanes 68. Thus, the damper vanes 3B which are interconnected by link 38 and the deflector vanes 68 which are interconnected by link 18 will be simultaneously pivotally moved when the link 38 is actuated by its operator arm 44 and disk 40, but such movement of the damper and deector vanes will be in opposite angular directions.

It will thus be seen that the pivotally movable damper and deflector vanes supported by collar 26 within the branch duct I6 are simultaneously adjustable to either fully closed or fully open as well as intermediate positions by a readily accessible and easily operated knob 53. The damper vanes on opposite sides of the central longitudinal plane of the branch duct IG will be rotated in ol)- posite directions to each other and likewise with the deector vanes on opposite sides of said plane. Further, the damper and deflector vanes on the same side of said plane will be moved in opposite angular directions so that any deflection imparted to the air by the angular disposition of the damper vanes 30 will be counteracted by the deector vanes 68 disposed in spaced relationship to the damper vanes 3B on the exit side thereof, whereby air passing through said branch duct I from the supply duct I2 will be distributed substantially evenly to the various annular spaces between the concentric deflecting members 22 of the fixed diffuser 20.

While the invention has been illustrated and described in its preferred embodiment and has included certain details, it should be understood that the invention is not to be limited to the precise details herein illustrated and described since the same may be carried out in other ways falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.

We claim as our invention:

1. A damper for use in an air duct comprising a plurality of damper vanes pivotally mounted in the duct for movement between a closed position transversely of the duct and a fully open position longitudinally of the duct, a plurality of delector vanes correspondingly mounted in the duct in longitudinally spaced relation to the damper vanes, the damper vanes and deflector vanes on one side of a central longitudinal plane through the duct being arranged for swinging movement oppositely to each other and oppositely to their counterparts on the other side of the plane, linkage means interconnecting the damper and deflector vanes on each side of said plane for simultaneous swinging movement to closed and open positions, actuating means movably supported in said duct and connected to said 6, linkage means, said actuating means being arranged to shift said linkage means and thereby pivotally adjust said damper and deector vanes, and means releasably retaining said actuating means in any adjusted position.

2. A damper for use in an air duct comprising a plurality of damper vanes pivotally mounted on generally parallel spaced apart axes extending transversely across the duct, the damper vanes being mounted for movement between a closed position transversely of the duct and a fully open position longitudinally of the duct, a plurality of deector vanes correspondingly mounted in the duct in longitudinally spaced relation to the damper vanes, the damper vanes and deector vanes on one side of a central longitudinal plane through the duct being arranged for swinging movement oppositely to each other and oppositely to their counterparts on the other side of the plane, linkage means interconnecting the damper and deflector vanes on each side of said plane for simultaneous swinging movement to closed and open positions, said linkage means comprising an arm on each of said damper and deflector vanes, a pair of links disposed respectively on opposite sides of said plane and means pivotally connecting the arms on each side of said plane to the links disposed on the same side of the plane, support means transversely secured in said duct, actuating means rotatably mounted by said support means and connected to said links, said actuating means being arranged to shift said links generally transversely of said duct to pivotally adjust said damper and deflector vanes, and friction means releasably retainng said actuating means in any adjusted posiion.

3. A damper for use in an air duct comprising a support collar transversely secured in said duct, a plurality of damper vanes pivotally mounted on generally parallel spaced-apart axes extending transversely across the collar, the damper vanes being mounted for swinging movement between a closed position transversely of the collar and a fully open position longitudinally of the collar, a plurality of deflector vanes correspondingly mounted in the collar in longitudinally spaced relation to the damper vanes, the damper vanes and deflector vanes on one side of a central longitudinal plane through the duct being arranged for swinging movement oppositely to each other and oppositely to their counterparts on the4 other side of said plane, linkage means interconnecting the damper and deector vanes on each side of said plane for simultaneous swinging movement, said linkage means comprising an arm on each of said damper and deiiector vanes, a pair of links disposed respectively on opposite sides of said plane, and means pivotally connecting the arms on each side of said plane to the links disposed on the same side of the plane, actuating means rotatably supported by said collar, arms pivotally connecting said links and said actuating means, said actuating means being arranged to shift said links generally transversely of said duct to thereby pivotally adjust said damper and deector vanes, and friction means carried by said last-mentioned arms for releasably retaining said actuating means in any adjusted position relative to said collar.

4. An air distributing apparatus comprising an air duct arranged to communicate at one end with a source of air supply, an air diffuser connected to the other end of said duct, a

dampenassembly' mounted within ,said duct and` comprising;inicombination, a plurality of damper` vanes `pivotallymounted in the' duct for movement betweenI a closed position rtransversely of the duct and a fully openposition longitudinally ofthe duct, whereby to control theyolume of air passing-,through theduct to said diffuser, apluralityV of defiector vanes correspondingly mounted inthe duct in longitudinallyspaced relation to the damper vanes on the eXit side thereof, the damper vanes and deflector vanes onvone side of' a central longitudinal plane through ktheduct being arranged for swinging movement oppositelyto each otherand oppositelyto their counterparts on the other sidev of the plane, linkage means interconnecting the dampervanddeector vanes on each side of said plane fors-simultaneousY swinging movement to closed and open positions, actuating means movably supportedin said duct and connected to said linkage means, said actuating means being arranged to shift said linkage means and thereby pivotally adjust said damper and deflector vanes, and means Vreleasaloly retaining said actuating means in any adjusted position.

5. An air distribution apparatus comprising an air duct arranged to communicate at one end with a source f air supply, an air diffuser connected to the other" end of said duct and comprising a plurality of associated vanes spaced transversely across said other end of said duct, a damper assembly-mounted Within said duct and comprising, in combination, a plurality of damper vanes pivotally mounted in the duct for movement between a closed position transversely of the duct and a fully open position longitudinally of the duct, a plurality of deflector vanes correspondngly mounted in the duct in longitudinally spaced relation to the damper vanes, the damper vanes and deflector vanes on one side of a central longitudinal plane through the duct being arranged for swinging movement oppositely to each other and oppositely to their counterparts on the other side of the plane, linkage means interconnecting the damper and deleetor vanes on each side of said plane foi-"simultaneous swinging movement to closedand open positions, support means transversely secured in said duct, actuating means movably mounted 0n said support means and connected to said linkage means, said actuating means having an operating member extending longitudinally of said duct through saidxed. diffuser whereby. said actuating means isfrotated toshift-said linkage Ameans andI thereby;

pivotally adjust 'said dampenand deectorvanes; and means interengaging` said i actuating 'meansl and said support means-to' releasably retainsaid actuating means Yin any rotated position relative to said duct.

6. A damper for usein an airv ductl comprising, a plurality of damper-vanes pivotally'mounted in the duct for movement between a closed'position.

transversely of the duct and a fully open position longitudinally of the duct, afplurality of deilector.`

vanes correspondingly mounted in thefduct'in: longitudinally spaced relation to the damper vanes, thefdamper vanes fand ldeiiector vanespon one side of a central longitudinal planethrough thefduct beingarranged for swingingmoyement in opposite directions to each other and oppositely` to their counterparts onl the other -side of ,said-` plane, support means transversely seeuredjin said' duct, actuating meansmovably mOunted-Onsaid support mea-ns within said duct, motiontransz-V mitting means interconnectingl Vsaid actuating means and said damper vanes andsaid defleotor vanes, anoperating arm onysaid actuating means; extending externally of saidduct for shiftingsaid actuating means to adjust simultaneously the po sitions of said damper vanes and said deflector vanes, and means releasably retaining saidactuatingmeans in adjusted positions relative `to vsaid support means.

ERNEST H. PERSON;

RICHARD D. TUTT.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the lile of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Datefv 1,696,922 Nielsen Jan. 11929 1,931,156 Persons- Oct. 17, 1933 2,077,175 Kornbau et al Apr. 13, v1937 2,217,479 Guyer Oct-8,1940 2,317,798 Otto Apr. 27, 1943 2,336,765 Adams Dec.n 14, 1943 2,403,291 Kurth July 2, 1946 2,456,312 Paget Dec. 14,1948 2,479,773 Piehl Aug` 23, 1949 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 2,759 Great Britain 1891 

